St. Landry democrat., 1887-01-08
CILRIST'S NATIVITY.
A Christmas Sermon by Rev. r
De Witt Talmage, ID.
New Lessons from the Oft-Repeated Story
Why Star That Led the Way
A December Chrfst-The
Three Presents.

theW: "When they had heard the King
they departed; and 10, the star which they
saw in the east went before them and stood
over where the young child was" The
preacher said:
At this season all Christendom celebrates
the birth of Christ Step down out of your
comfortable surroundings into the chill De-
cember night of Bethlehem. Two plain
people are hoteled in a village barn after a
walk of eighty miles, too long a walk for
one in poor health. No Lords of state
awaiting in the ante-chamber, as when
other Kings are born; no messengers
mounted at the doorway ready to herald
the event from city to city; no medical skill
In attendance; no satin-lined cradle to re-
ceive its infantile guest--but monarch
born in the hostelery called the House of
Chimham, the night with diamond finger,
pointing down to the place; the door Of
Heaven set wide open to look out; from
chestral batons of light, dripping the ora
torios of the Messiah; on lowest doorstep
of Heaven the Ministries discoursing Of
glory and good will.
Soon after the White-bearded astrologists
kneel, and from leather pouch chink the
shekels, and from open sacks exhale the
frankincense and rustic out the bundles of
myrrh. The loosened star; the escaped
doXology Of celestials; the chill December
night afush with May morn; our world
lost star, and another star rushing down
the sky that night to beckon the wanderer
home again, shall yet make all nations
keep Christmas,
Are there no new lessons from the story
not yet hackneycd by oft repeatal! Oh,
yes! Now, in the first place, it was ST.
dereal appearance that led the way. So, the
star which they saw in the east went
before them. Why not a black cloud in the
shape of hand or a finger pointing down
to the sacred birthplace! A cloud means
trouble, and the world had had trouble
enough. Why not shaft of lighting
quivering and flashing and striking down
to the sacred birthplace Lightning means
destruction, a SCATTERING and consuming
power, and the world wanted no more
destruction.
But 1t was star and that means joy
that means hope-that means good cheer
that means ascendency. A star! That
means creative power, for did not the
morning stars sing together when the port
folio of the worlds was openeda A start
That means defense, for did not the stars
fight In their course against s 3ra, and for
the Lords peeplea A star! That means
brilliant continuance, for are not the right
eous to shine as the stars forever and ever?
A start That means the opening of eter-
nal joy; the day star in the heart; the morn
ing star Of the Redeemer.
The unusual appearances that night
might have been strange conjunction of
worlds. AS the transit of Venus was fore
told many years ago by astronomers and
astronomers can tell what will be the con-
junction of worlds a thousand years
from now, SO they can calculate back
wards, and even infidel astronomers have
been compelled to testify that about the
year 1 there was a very unusual ap-
pearance in the heavens. The Chinese
record, of course entirely independent of
the word Of God, gives as a matter of his
tory that about the year l there was
strange and unaccountable appearance in
the heavens. But it may have been me-
teor such as you and have seen flash in
the heavens
Only few years ago saw in the west
ern sky star shoot and fall with such
brilliancy and precision that if I had been
on hillas high as that of Bethlehem on
which the shepherds stood, l could have
marked within short distance the place
of alighting. The University of Iowa and
the British Museum have specimens of
meteoric stones picked up in the fields,
fragments flung off from other worlds,
leaving fiery trail on the sky. So that it
is not to me at all improbable, the stellar or
meteoris appearance on that night of which
we speak. only care to know that it was
bright, that it was silvery, that it flashed,
and sWayed, and swung, and halted with
Joy celestial, as though Christ, in haste to
save our world, had rushed down without
His coronet, and the angels of God had
hurled it after Hint
Not black cloud of threat, but bright
star of hope is our glorious Christianity
One glimpse of that stellar appearance
kindled up the soul of the sick and the
dying college student, until the words
flashed from his pale fingers and the star
seemed to pour its light from his white
lips, as Kirk White wrote these immortal
words:
"When, marshaled on the nightly plain,
The glittering hosts bestud the sky,
One star alone OF all the train
Can fix the sinner S wandering eye.
Harls. bark to God the chorus break
From every host, from every gem,
But one alone the Saviour speaks,
1t is the Star of Bethlehem.
Aonce on the raging seas rode,
The storm was loud, the night was dark,
And rudely blew the wind
That tossed my laundering bark;
Deep horror then my vitals froze,
Death-struck I ceased the tide to stem;
When suddenly a star arose,
1t was the Star OF Bethlehem"
Notice also in this scene that other
worlds seemed to honor our Lord and Mas
ter. Bright star of the night wheel on in
thine obitl NO. said the star, 81 must
come nearer, and L must tend, and i must
watch and see what you do with my Jesus
Another world that night joined our world
in worship, That star made bow of
obeisance. sometimes hear people talk
of Christ's dominion as though it were to
he LIZ he .,as1r- -